Strawberry plant named &#39;RED MERLIN&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named ‘RED MERLIN’. The variety is characterized by its red fruit color, conical fruit shape, medium fruit size, early time of ripening, not remontant bearing, and flat globose plant habit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Fragaria L.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘RED MERLIN’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry varietynamed ‘RED MERLIN’. This new variety is a result of a controlled crossmade between the strawberry variety designated ‘Sweet Charlie’ and thestrawberry variety designated ‘Dorit’. The variety is botanically knownas Fragaria L.

The new variety was asexually propagated. This propagation hasdemonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein ascharacterizing the new variety are fixed and remain true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘RED MERLIN’, which in combinationdistinguish this strawberry plant as a new and distinct variety:

1. Red fruit color and conical fruit shape;

2. Medium fruit size;

3. Early time of ripening;

4. Not remontant bearing; and

5. Flat globose plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance oftypical specimens of the new strawberry variety ‘RED MERLIN’, as true asit is reasonably possible with color reproductions of this type. Colorin the photographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in thebotanical descriptions which accurately describe the color of ‘REDMERLIN’.

FIG. 1 shows a close up view of the typical fruit and flowers of ‘REDMERLIN’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new variety ‘RED MERLIN’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The characteristics of the new variety ‘REDMERLIN’ may vary in detail, depending upon variations in environmentalfactors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity),day length, soil type and location. In addition, the characteristics ofany parental variety or comparison variety included in the descriptionof the present invention may vary in detail, depending upon variationsin environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity andlight intensity), day length, soil type and location.

Color terminology where noted follows The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, London (2007).

The following table describes characteristics of the new strawberry ‘REDMERLIN’.

TABLE 1 FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS Characteristic ‘RED MERLIN’ Color ofmature fruit Red Fruit size Medium Predominant fruit shape Conical Timeof Ripening Early Type of bearing Not remontant

TABLE 2 PLANT CHARACTERISTICS Characteristic ‘RED MERLIN’ Plant habitFlat Globose

TABLE 3 FOLIAGE CHARACTERISTICS Characteristic ‘RED MERLIN’ Petiole:Attitude of hairs Slightly outward

TABLE 4 FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS Characteristic ‘RED MERLIN’ Position ofinflorescence Above relative to foliage

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct strawberry plant named ‘RED MERLIN’, asherein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above.